Cellulite affects around 85-90% of post-pubertal females and some men of all races and is characterized by a dimpled appearance of the skin. It occurs mainly around the arms, hips, thighs, and buttocks.
Collagen fibrous walls in the sub-dermal fat layer, named septae, connect the sub-dermal fat tissue to the skin. Cellulite occurs when sub-dermal fat cells are pushed upwards, and the septae pushed downwards pulling the attached skin with them. As a result, the septae urge the fat cells deposited therebetween into small bulges protruding from the surface of the skin and resulting in a characteristic dimpled, pitted appearance of the skin surface.
Numerous therapies are used in the treatment of cellulite which include physical and mechanical methods as well as the use of pharmacological agents. The physical and mechanical methods include iontophoresis, light, ultrasound, thermotherapy, pressotherapy (pneumatic massaging in the direction of the circulation), lymphatic drainage (massage technique to stimulate lymphatic flow), electrolipophoresis (application of a low frequency electric current) and high frequency electrical current such as RF.
Aesthetic treatments of cellulite combining the application of sub-atmospheric pressure (a vacuum) to a segment of skin, urging it into a chamber and skin massage, with or without the application of heat energy, are documented in the art.
Almost all massage elements described in the art are based on mechanical displacement of a moving part, such as a roller or a pivoting divider. In most cases this mechanical action is driven by an actuator such as a motor. In few cases vacuum is used for manipulation of a mechanical element.
The use of moving mechanical elements and actuators in such applicators increases their complexity, required maintenance and cost. Moving mechanical elements may also interfere with the various types of heating energy delivery surfaces typically employed by such applicators.
Attempts have been made in the art to simplify applicators by replacing the mechanical elements with a deformable membrane, the inside surface thereof sealing a vacuum chamber and the outside surface adhering to the skin. Creation of sub-atmospheric pressure inside the chamber creates a suction effect on the membrane and skin, drawing both into the chamber.
Furthermore, MR imaging 3D reconstruction of the collagen fibrous septae network in the skin tissue demonstrates a high percentage of septae oriented in a direction perpendicular to the skin surface in women with cellulite. The massage elements described in the art cause the skin tissue to move in and out of a single vacuum chamber, resulting in displacement of the skin tissue in a direction vertical to the skin surface and in parallel to the fibrous septae orientation. Additionally, methods in the art couple heating energy treatment to the skin massage treatment. The applied energy source (For example, ultrasound) employed by these methods is typically positioned over skin areas that are not adhered to a vacuum chamber or a deformable membrane and therefore are not being concurrently massaged. Application of energy to non-massaged skin areas negates the synergistic effect produced by the concurrent combination of skin massage and energy application.
The combination of heat and concurrent back and forth massaging movement of skin break down the fibrous septae network thus eliminating the pitted appearance of the skin surface. The combination of heat and vacuum also enhances circulation in the treated area and increases metabolic action, which reduces the amount of sub-dermal fat further contributing to the elimination of the pitted appearance of the skin surface. Therefore, there is a need for improved cellulite treatments that would include massaging movement of skin, with or without the application of heating energy, would bring improved treatment results and better elimination of the undesired effects of cellulite.